There has recently been an intensification of interest in the changing bodyin popular culture, from films and writing focusing on the makeoverphenomenon or gender reassignment, to reality TV programmes detailing surgicalalteration, to health-, celebrity- and horror-focused narratives presentingtransformation sentimentally or monstrously. These contemporary perspectives areembedded in a longer history of transformation stories inclassical/post-classical cinema, literature, photography, art and performance.

In 2007 Southampton University will be hosting a series of seminarsconsidering the unique position of the transforming body within popular culture inthe twentieth and twenty-first centuries. This series will provide a forum atwhich these sensational spectacles and cultural artefacts can be addressed inthe context of a reassessment of established theories of the body, providingnew ways of framing and understanding body culture. Possible areas ofinterest might include:Â· Make-over narratives and â€˜cinderella storiesâ€™Â· Gender and transgenderÂ· The transforming celebrity bodyÂ· Medical/surgical narrativesÂ· The hybrid or obscene bodyÂ· Body art, performance art and fetish cultureÂ· Monstrosity, plasticity and body horrorÂ· The body as sick/damaged or whole/perfected

We are open to proposals focusing on any revealing or provocative culturalphenomena and texts, from a wide range of perspectives and disciplines. Pleaseemail abstracts of 250 words to lrw1_at_soton.ac.uk and periart21_at_aol.com by23th February 2007. If your proposal is accepted, you will be invited topresent a paper of 30 minutes at Southampton University, UK, at one of our fourthemed seminars. These are scheduled for April 25th, May 30th, and in Octoberand December (dates tbc). Travel expenses will be paid for speakers, though wecannot cover overnight accommodation or a fee. We expect to secure apublisher for an edited collection of selected papers from the series.

Travel bursaries for attendees: A limited number of small travel bursarieswill be available per event to help towards the cost of attending for thosenot giving papers. Please contact the organisers at the email address below ifyou are interested in this. We will require a 150 word statement outliningyour research interests and indicating how participation at the event willenhance your research.